They - like their colleagues in Huddersfield - are taking action to stop motorists using the bus-only lanes.

And like their Kirklees counterparts, they are being funded by public funds from the passenger transport budget.

Officials at Metro, the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority, decided to fund police overtime to curb a growing problem.

So far, more than 40 drivers in Calderdale have received fixed penalty fines of £30.

News of the bus-lane crackdown, revealed in Saturday's Examiner, has attracted mixed views in Huddersfield.

M J Gates, of Netherton, said: "The bus lane at Lockwood Road would not be needed if buses to Holmfirth were routed along Albert Street.

"Lockwood Road would only be used by buses to Meltham. Bus operators could help reduce congestion by siting bus stops better."

Julian Hirst, of Mayfield Avenue, Dalton, said: "Excellent idea!

"By sending extra police to pay for the persecution of motorists in the bus lane at Wakefield Road, are we to assume that the same police will be stopping and advising drivers of the rule that during the hours that the bus lane can be used by cars it is the law to drive on the left.

"This might just mean that the residents of Mayfield Avenue and Grosvenor Road might just have a chance of turning right into town, and not have to wait for sometimes 10 minutes to get a chance to pull out due to people driving in the right hand lane."

Mr T Hall said: "I think it's an absolute disgrace that the police should be used this way.

"The motorist is already persecuted and I think that every motorist is fed-up by continuous action of the police."

Keith Jackson, of Crosland Moor, said:

"I disagree with the police being paid to police the bus lane, because we will have to pay more for our bus fares.

"People protested about the bus lanes in the first place.

"Where are people supposed to park their cars if they have no driveway?"